Los Angeles Jewish Home's Blog


La Opinión Article — Offering Seniors “Dignity”

The Brandman Centers for Senior Care was featured in today's issue of the Spanish language paper, La Opinión, in an article by Yurina Melara Valiulis. We thought the story was so great, it had to be translated for our English readers!

A new comprehensive care program allows Alice and Miguel Reyes both 84 years of age, to remain in their home in Canoga Park despite various health problems.

This program for the elderly is located in the complex called Los Angeles Jewish Home. Brandman Centers for Senior Care/PACE started on February 1 and although it has capacity for 150 people, so far only eight have signed up.

Alicia has diabetes and takes many pills for different ailments. Miguel has constant pain in one leg and acute pain which hinders him every time he moves, also suffers from high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Because of their age, they could be candidates to be transferred to a nursing home, but thanks to the Brandman Centers for Senior Care program called PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly), this couple may live longer independently.

PACE is a model of care for the elderly, which provides a full range of medical services - including primary care, specialists, testing laboratory, podiatry, dental, psychiatry, psychology, therapy, nutritional counseling, social workers, food planning services and transportation to the Center.

"We come to the Center twice a week. Here they treat us well, they give us therapy to keep us active and they also worry about our food,” said Miguel.

Gretchen Brickson, Executive Director of the Center, explained that this program is open to all adults over 55 years of age that start having problems and can’t take care of them, but that can be kept at home with help.

Nationwide there are 90 PACE programs, six of them in California. There are two in Los Angeles County; Altamed and now Brandman.

Victoria Solórzano, specialist in connection with the community of Brandman, said that Latinos should provide the opportunity to their parents or their grandparents to enroll in a program that helps them control their diseases and to feel better.

For seniors with Medicare and Medi-Cal, PACE is free of charge and to be accepted they must pass an inspection that evaluates fitness and mobility, as well as live in the service area of Brandman. Communities that qualify are: Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Encino, Granada Hills, Mission Hills, North Hills, Northridge, Panorama City, Porter Ranch, Reseda, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Tarzana, Valley Village, Van Nuys, West Hills, Winnetka and Woodland Hills.

(Click here to view the original story in Spanish)
Photo Credit: J. Emilio Flores, La Opinión

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